Misplaced Pages

#167832

48-700: The Honda Africa Twin is a dual-sport motorcycle produced by Honda . The motorcycle was built in several models. Between 1988 and 1989, the vehicle was produced as the XRV650 , between 1990 and 2000 it was the XRV750T , between 2016 and 2019 the CRF1000L , and since 2020 as the CRF1100L. The Africa Twin, also known as the Honda XRV750, is a 742 cc dual-sport motorcycle manufactured by Honda. The motorcycle

96-458: A sport bike and a dual-sport. Dirt bike#Off-road In the market, there is a wide variety of types of motorcycles , each with unique characteristics and features. Models vary according to the specific needs of each user, such as standard , cruiser , touring , sports , off-road , dual-purpose , scooters , etc. Often, some types like sport touring are considered as an additional category or integrated with touring . There

144-439: A Harley-Davidson or other cruisers with full sets of saddlebags. This can now refer to any touring motorcycle. Sport bikes are road bikes that emphasize top speed, acceleration, braking, handling and grip, typically at the expense of comfort and fuel economy in comparison to other motorcycle types. Sport bikes have comparatively high performance engines supported within a lightweight frame. Inline-four engines dominate

192-480: A bicycle drivetrain, and motive power can be supplied by the engine, the rider, or both. There are also Sport mopeds – a type of moped that resembles a sport bike . In many places, mopeds are subject to less stringent licensing than bikes with larger engines and are popular as very cheap motorbikes, with the pedals seeing next to no use. Mopeds were very popular in the United States during the fuel-crisis of

240-504: A clean sheet of paper and design a new model designed for a specific combination of dirt and street use. These motorcycles are usually heavier and more durable than the models derived from off-road motorcycles. This approach is currently taken by Aprilia, BMW, Honda, Kawasaki, Moto Guzzi, Suzuki, and Yamaha. Several manufacturers modify street motorcycles to make them more dirt worthy. These bikes are usually more at home on pavement. Finally, owners add street-legal equipment to off-road bikes. In

288-782: A dirt bike chassis, they have added lights, mirrors, signals, and instruments that allow them to be licensed for public roads. They are higher than other street bikes, with a high center of gravity and tall seat height, allowing good suspension travel for rough ground. Adventure motorcycles (ADV) are motorcycles with touring capability on paved and unpaved roads. As a dual-sport they have a significant on-pavement bias and perform well on pavement at higher speeds unlike most dual-sports. Their size, weight and sometimes their tires, however, limits their off-road capability. Most adventure motorcycles function well on graded dirt and gravel roads but are less than ideal on more difficult off-pavement terrain. Supermoto motorcycles were designed to compete on

336-428: A higher-displacement engine, ranging from 400cc to 850cc (24.5−51.9 cu in), and superior performance, designed for covering long distances at high speeds. However, their considerably greater weight and lower agility make them suitable for use in the city or on highways. A scooter is considered to fall into the mega-scooter category when its displacement exceeds 400cc. Underbones are small-displacement motorcycles with

384-472: A relaxed, upright seating position. Passenger accommodation is excellent and expansive luggage space is the norm for this class. Such bikes can have wet weights of 850–900 lb (390–410 kg) and top 1,300–1,400 lb (590–640 kg) fully loaded with a rider, passenger and gear. Bagger , full dresser , full dress tourer , or dresser are various names for touring motorcycles, sometimes used disparagingly or jocularly, and originally referring to

432-594: A river, mud or snow. These types of terrain can sometimes only be travelled on with vehicles designed for off-road driving (such as SUVs , ATVs , snowmobiles and mountain bikes in recent decades, and minibikes even earlier) or vehicles are designed to better handle off-road conditions. Compared to road-going motorcycles, off-road machines are lighter and more flexible, typically having long suspension travel , high ground clearance, and are geared higher to provide more torque in off-road situations. Wheels (usually 21" front, 18" rear) have knobby tires , often clamped to

480-1241: A seat, and a flat foot platform, allowing the rider to maintain an upright posture without straddling the engine. This configuration not only enhances rider comfort but also contributes to fuel efficiency . Currently, three main types of scooters are recognized, each with its own characteristics and applications: Standard scooter: This type of scooter is ideal for urban mobility due to its ease of handling and parking. They are lightweight, comfortable, and agile vehicles, perfect for navigating through dense city traffic. Their wheels are usually smaller than those of conventional motorcycles, with diameters ranging from 12 to 15 inches (30.5−38 cm), and they have an engine displacement ranging from 50cc to 150cc (3.1−9.2 cu in). Maxi-scooter: Maxi-scooters are equipped with high-displacement engines, ranging from 125cc to 250cc (7.7–15.3 cu in), designed for covering long distances at high speeds. Although they are heavier and less agile than standard scooters, they are commonly used in cities and suburbs due to their larger fuel tank capacity and larger wheels, which can reach 15 or even 16 inches (38.1−40.7 cm). Mega-scooter: also known as touring scooters , like maxi-scooters, mega-scooters feature

528-515: A sense, all motorcycles at that time were dual-sports, intended to be used on dirt as well as pavement. Advertisements well into the 1920s depict motorcycles on dirt roads, raising clouds of dust. By 1940, most roads in developed countries were paved and motorcycles had become heavier and more oriented to the street. In the 1950s and 1960s British manufacturers such as Triumph and BSA offered versions of their relatively light street motorcycles with high exhaust pipes, and called them scramblers. Yamaha

SECTION 10

#1732794571168

576-527: A single course that alternated between three genres of motorcycle racing : road racing , track racing , and motocross . This increasingly popular type of motorcycle is often a dual-sport that has been fitted by the manufacturer with smaller rims and road tires. Supermotos are quickly gaining popularity as street bikes due to their combination of light weight, durability, relatively low cost, and sporty handling. Sport touring motorcycles combine attributes of sport bikes and touring motorcycles. The rider posture

624-434: A step-through frame, descendants of the original Honda Super Cub . They are differentiated from scooters by their larger wheels and their use of footpegs instead of a floorboard. They often have a gear shifter with an automatic clutch. The moped used to be a hybrid of the bicycle and the motorcycle, equipped with a small engine (usually a small two-stroke engine up to 50 cc, but occasionally an electric motor ) and

672-591: A type of cruiser, so called because they are a "chopped", or cut-down, version of a production cruiser. Choppers are usually custom projects that result in a bike modified to suit the owner's ideals, and, as such, are a source of pride and accomplishment. Stereotypically, a chopper may have raked-out forks, small fuel tanks and high handlebars. Choppers were popularised in the Peter Fonda film Easy Rider . Being designed primarily for visual effect, choppers will rarely be suitable for lengthy cruising. Related to

720-400: Is a motorized bicycle used for motor-paced cycling events. While motorcycles typically have two wheels, some motorized tricycles are classed as three-wheeled motorcycles. Some brands have made various types of three-wheelers direct from the factory. Most of these vehicles are treated as motorcycles for registration or licensing purposes. Tilting three-wheelers keep all three wheels on

768-514: Is also seen as a response by Honda to the heavier, on-road-focused adventure touring motorcycles such as the BMW R1200GS, Ducati Multistrada, and Triumph Tiger Explorer, offering a lighter, more off-road-focused machine. Dual-sport motorcycle The concept of a versatile motorcycle equally at home on dirt and pavement is as old as motorcycling itself. Most roads were still unpaved when motorized bicycles first appeared around 1900. In

816-729: Is common for dual sport owners to customise their bike to match the type of terrain or roads on which they ride. Changing tires, handlebars, seats, bash plates or foot pegs are common modifications. Adding large petrol tanks, racks, luggage and wind screens are common for riders intending to travel far. Dual sport aftermarket parts and accessories are manufactured and available worldwide. When dual-sports are fitted for long-distance travel with accessories such as oversized gas tanks, luggage, and other distance-oriented gear, they are often referred to as " adventure bikes ". These motorcycles offer touring capabilities, but are less comfortable on long pavement trips than full-fledged touring motorcycles such as

864-402: Is credited with rekindling popular interest in dirt worthy motorcycles that could also be ridden on the street. In 1968 they introduced the hugely successful DT-1 based on a 250 cc two-stroke engine . Other manufacturers soon followed with similar models called " enduros ". These light weight machines were good on trails and adequate on pavement. Some manufacturers approached the trend from

912-470: Is less extreme than a sport bike, giving greater long-distance comfort. Accommodation for a passenger is superior to a sport bike as well, along with increased luggage capacity. Being lighter, at 550–720 lb (250–330 kg) wet, than a pure touring bike and often having racier engines, suspensions, and brakes, sport tourers corner better and are more at home being aggressively ridden on curvy canyon roads. The distinction between touring and sport touring

960-414: Is no universal system for classifying all types of motorcycles. However, some authors argue that there are generally six categories recognized by most motorcycle manufacturers and organizations, making clear distinctions between these six main types and other motorcycles. For example, scooters, mopeds, underbones, minibikes, pocket bikes, electric bikes, and three-wheeled motorcycles are often excluded from

1008-545: Is not always clear as some manufacturers will list the same bike in either category in different markets. The Honda ST1300 Pan-European , for example, was listed by Honda as a sport touring motorcycle in the United States and Australia, but as a touring motorcycle in Europe. Scooters are a type of motorcycles distinguished by their continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and distinctive design. Unlike traditional motorcycles, scooters feature an open frame structure,

SECTION 20

#1732794571168

1056-793: The DR350 in 1990 and promoted it as a DualSport or “ dirt bike with a license plate”. The terms "dual-sport" and “dualie” were quickly adopted by riders and the motorcycle press. Manufacturers use several different names for their dual-sport models. Suzuki uses DualSport to describe its products. Kawasaki describes its offerings as dual purpose, Honda lists its entry under off-road, and other manufacturers describe machines as enduros, or simply list them as model numbers. A few models are described as "adventure bikes". Despite these differences in terminology, these models can be described as dual-sports, which are street-legal motorcycles that can be operated on pavement, dirt roads and trails. Dual-sport motorcycles are

1104-512: The Honda Goldwing series. A supermoto (also known as a supermotard or motard) is typically a converted motocross bike with less suspension travel, smaller front and rear wheels (typically 17" at both ends), road tires and an oversized front brake designed to be primarily run on asphalt. When made street legal, these bikes may also be considered to be a type of dual-sport. In this case, these motorbikes could be seen as somewhere between

1152-533: The ambulance , blood bikes , fire , and military services, and for specialized delivery services, such as pizza deliveries . Beginning in the 1960s with the Mountain Goat specialized motorcycles were developed for use on farms. The Motocrotte (or cainette ) was used in Paris to collect dog waste with vacuum suction in the 1980s and 1990s, and was still in use in other French cities as of 2016. A derny

1200-582: The minibike , monkey bike , Welbike , pocketbike , and pit bike . Enclosed motorcycles include cabin motorcycles and streamliner motorcycles . Feet forwards motorcycles include the 1911 Wilkinson TMC and the 1918 Ner-A-Car . Contemporary examples include the Quasar , powered by a Reliant Robin engine, and the Peraves range powered mainly by BMW K Series engines. Some motorcycles are specially adapted for specific job functions, such as those used by

1248-499: The 1930s to the early 1960s, such as those made by Harley-Davidson , Indian , and Excelsior-Henderson . Harley-Davidsons largely define the cruiser category, and large- displacement V-twin engines are the norm, although other engine configurations and small to medium displacements also exist. Their engines are tuned for low-end torque, making them less demanding to ride because it is not necessary to shift as frequently to accelerate or maintain control. The riding position places

1296-630: The SL350 still borrowed heavily from the CB350 platform. By 1971, the Honda SL350 K1 and the later K2 had been completely transformed from a heavy, unyielding, unpredictable, unequipped off-roader into a nimble, user friendly, trail champion. This line of Dual Sports continued to evolve into the popular XL series of Honda Dual Sports. BMW changed the game with the introduction of the R80 G/S in 1980,

1344-744: The UK in late 2015 and early 2016 in the US, reviving their Africa Twin line. The motorcycle is developed as a modern interpretation of its predecessors, the XRV 750 and XRV 650, based on the NXR-750, which won the Paris-Dakar rally four times in the late 1980s. The original V-twin Africa Twin was first sold in Europe from 1988 to the final production year of 2003 but was never brought to the United States. The CRF1000L

1392-538: The US, some states license only motorcycles that met highway emissions requirements when first sold, while others allow off-road vehicles to be converted to on-road. Dual-sports may be grouped by weight and intended purpose. These types are only approximate and new models that split the boundaries and offer different combinations of features appear each year. However, the laws of momentum and inertia always favor lighter dual-sports for tight, rough trails. Heavier dual-sports that emphasize rider comfort, wind protection and

1440-562: The capacity to carry luggage are better choices for long highway trips at higher speeds. Dual-sports, by definition, are compromises - giving up some dirt performance to be ridden on the street and some street performance to be ridden in the dirt. The merits of a particular model can only be judged relative to the owner’s intended mix of dirt and street riding. Although aficionados may argue the merits of different models, versatile dual-sports can be desirable alternatives to more specialized motorcycles that can only be ridden in one environment. It

1488-909: The chopper motorcycle is the bobber , a solo bike which is created by "bobbing" a factory bike by removing superfluous weight and bodywork from a motorcycle to reduce mass and increase performance. A common element of these motorcycles is a shortened rear fender that creates a "bobbed" look. Power cruiser is a name used to distinguish bikes in the cruiser class that have significantly greater levels of power. They typically have with upgraded brakes and suspensions, better ground clearance, and premium surface finishes, as well as more exotic or non-traditional styling. Although any motorcycle can be equipped and used for touring, touring motorcycles are specifically designed to excel at covering long distances. They have large-displacement engines, fairings and screens that offer good weather and wind protection, large-capacity fuel tanks for long ranges between fill-ups, and

Honda Africa Twin - Misplaced Pages Continue

1536-438: The engine, along with windscreens that effectively deflect the air at high speeds away from the rider, thereby minimising overall drag. Sport bikes may have footpegs that are both higher and set further back than on a standard bike, improving ground clearance when cornering and enabling a more prone position for the rider. There may be a long reach to the hand controls, which positions the body and center of gravity forward, above

1584-590: The fairings removed and higher handlebars replacing the low clip-on handlebars. Since the 1990s, factory streetfighters have been produced. As with naked bike and muscle bike (below), the name streetfighter is used to help clarify the middle ground occupied by designs that blend elements of both sport bikes and standards. Off-road motorcycles , also known as dirt bikes or scramblers , specially designed for off-road use. The term off-road refers to driving surfaces that are not conventionally paved. These are rough surfaces, often created naturally, such as sand, gravel,

1632-443: The feet forward and the hands are up relatively high, so that the spine is erect or leaning back slightly. At low to moderate speeds, cruisers are more comfortable than other styles, but riding for long periods at freeway speeds can lead to fatigue from pulling back on the handlebars to resist the force of the wind against the rider's chest. Cruisers have limited cornering ability due to a lack of ground clearance. Choppers are

1680-910: The first large adventure dual sport machine and the ancestor of the adventure sport category that is so popular today. Modified versions of the R80 G/S won the gruelling Paris Dakar race four times in five years between 1981 and 1985, and Helge Pedersen rode one for 10 years and 250,000 miles in an around-the-world journey that helped cement the G/S's place in motorcycling history. Over the next 20 years, manufacturers began producing heavier and less dirt worthy enduros based on four-stroke engines , as they searched for better combinations of weight, power, durability, performance and comfort. The heavier machines were better on longer highway rides but less popular with “real” dirt riders, who began modifying them to create lighter and more competent trail machines. Suzuki introduced

1728-476: The fuel tank. The rider leans forward into the wind, the force of which may support the rider's weight at high speeds. However, at lower speeds a rider may experience excessive weight on the arms and wrists, causing fatigue. Muscle bike is a nickname for a motorcycle type, derived from a sport bike design, that puts a disproportionately high priority on engine power. Streetfighters are derived from sport bikes, originally being customized sport bikes with

1776-464: The late 1970s and early 1980s, but their popularity has fallen off sharply since the mid-1980s. In response to rising fuel prices in the first decade of the 2000s, U.S. scooter and moped ridership saw a resurgence. Sales of motorcycles and scooters declined 43.2% in 2009, and continued to decrease in the first quarter of 2010, with scooter sales doing worst, down 13.3% compared to a 4.6% drop for all two-wheelers. Other types of small motorcycles include

1824-416: The lightest dual-sport offered by Suzuki Motor Corporation in 2008 weighs about 250 pounds (110 kg) and has a small single-cylinder engine with barely enough power for highway use. The heaviest dual-sport offered by Suzuki Motor Corporation in 2008 weighs about 460 pounds (210 kg) and has a large two-cylinder engine with plenty of power for long freeway trips. Accordingly, it is necessary to refer to

1872-518: The main categories within these classifications, but other classification schemes may also include these types of motorcycles. Nevertheless, there are strict classification systems enforced by competitive motorcycle sport sanctioning bodies, or legal definitions of a motorcycle established by certain legal jurisdictions for motorcycle registration , emissions , road traffic safety rules or motorcyclist licensing . There are also informal classifications or nicknames used by manufacturers, riders, and

1920-448: The manufacturers specifications for a particular model to learn more about its intended use. There are four ways of creating dual-sports. Some manufacturers add street-legal equipment to existing off-road motorcycles. These bikes are usually light and powerful, at the expense of shorter service life and higher maintenance. This approach is currently taken by European manufacturers such as KTM and Husqvarna . Other manufacturers start with

1968-492: The market. Standard motorcycles (also called roadsters , or naked bikes ) are street motorcycles that conform to a stereotypical image of a motorcycle, with an exposed engine and fuel tank above it. Standard bikes typically have neither fairings nor windscreens as OEM attachments (hence the modern usage naked bikes ). With handlebars that are set neither high nor low, and footpegs placed neither forward nor "rear-set", standards give an upright rider posture (in-between

Honda Africa Twin - Misplaced Pages Continue

2016-402: The most practical choice in rural areas in many parts of the world, and when traveling on unpaved trails they can often be a necessity. Terms such as dual-sport, enduro and adventure bike are marketing descriptions, not strict definitions of weight, power, and intended usage. Generally a dual sport is less than 400 pounds while bikes above 400 pounds are considered adventure bikes. For example,

2064-698: The motorcycling media. Some experts do not recognize sub-types, like naked bike, that "purport to be classified" outside the usual classes, because they fit within one of the main types and are recognizable only by cosmetic changes. Street motorcycles are motorcycles designed for being ridden on paved roads. They have smooth tires with tread patterns and engines generally in the 125 cc (7.6 cu in) and over range. Typically, street motorcycles are capable of speeds up to 100 mph (160 km/h), and many of speeds in excess of 125 mph (201 km/h). Street motorcycles powered by electric motors are becoming more common, with firms like Harley-Davidson entering

2112-678: The opposite direction, beginning with a street motorcycle and modifying it for adequate off-road performance. For instance, the Honda CL350 Scrambler was a variation on the Honda CB350 street motorcycle with high exhaust pipes, a larger front wheel, dirt-oriented tires, and lower gearing. As a partial response to Yamaha’s success with the DT-1, in 1969 Honda produced the SL350 K0. Considered Honda’s first real production Dual Sport,

2160-405: The rim with a rim lock . Many competitive events have emerged and developed into a variety of off-road motorcycle sports , for which a number of specialized motorcycles have been built: Dual-purpose motorcycles , sometimes called dual-sport, on/off-road motorcycles, or adventure motorcycles, are street legal machines that are also designed to enter off-road situations. Typically based on

2208-490: The semi-recumbent cruiser and the forward crouch of a sport bike). A standard's relationship between footpegs, handlebars and seat gives the rider a comfortable and natural posture. The comfort, ease of control, and safety of standard bikes means that beginner motorcyclists inevitably learn on standard motorcycles; and many experienced riders choose to continue riding this motorcycle type. Cruiser motorcycles (or simply cruisers ) are styled after American motorcycles from

2256-435: The sport bike category, with V-twins and parallel twins having a significant presence; and most other engine configurations appear in small numbers at times. High-performance braking systems may use upgraded brake pads, multi-piston calipers and larger vented rotors. Sports bike suspension systems may be more sophisticated, with greater adjustments for compression and rebound. Sport bikes have fairings to completely enclose

2304-431: Was based on the NXR-750, which won the Paris-Dakar rally four times in the late eighties. It was preceded by the eponymous XRV650 Africa Twin, a lighter, higher specification version made in 1988 and 1989 by Honda Racing Corporation, featuring a 650 cc engine producing 42 kW (56 hp). It was propelled by a chain transmission. The Honda CRF1000L is a 1000 cc dual-sport motorcycle manufactured by Honda. It became available in

#167832